US Official State Songs

State Song Designations of the 50 States

Access profiles of each of the 50 US states official songs. Includes details on the origin and lyric of the state song.

Forty-nine of the fifty U.S. states that make up the United States of America have one or more state songs, which are selected by each state legislature, and/or state governor, as a symbol (or emblem) of that particular U.S. state. New Jersey does not have an official state song, while Virginia's state song, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", adopted in 1940, is now considered the "emeritus" state song and is scheduled to be replaced, having been rescinded by the Virginia General Assembly. The General Assembly has not voted on a new song yet- the process of selection, including an extensive contest for public submissions, began in 1998.

Some U.S. states have more than one official state song, and may refer to some of their official songs by other names; for example, Arkansas officially has two state songs, plus a state anthem, and a state historical song. Arizona has a song that was written specifically as a state anthem in 1915, as well as the 1981 country hit "Arizona", which it adopted as the alternate state anthem in 1982.

A few of these songs are among the best-known songs in the U.S., including "Old Folks at Home" (better known as "Swanee Ribber" or "Suwannee River"), "Yankee Doodle", "You Are My Sunshine", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Home on the Range"; a number of others are popular standards, including "Oklahoma!" (from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical), Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia on My Mind", "Tennessee Waltz", "Missouri Waltz", and "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away". Many of the others are much less well-known, especially outside the state.



US Official State Songs

State Symbols

Song - Composer - Designation - Adopted

Alabama "Alabama"
Written by Julia S. Tutwiler
Composed by Edna Gockel Gussen
Alabama State Song - Mar 3, 1931
Alaska "Alaska's Flag"
Written by Marie Drake  and
Carol Beery Davis
Composed by Elinor Dusenbury
Alaska State Song - Feb 23,1955
Arizona "Arizona"
Written and Performed by Rex Allen, Jr.
Arizona Alternate State Anthem - 1981
Arizona "Arizona March Song"
Written by Margaret Rowe Clifford
Music by Maurice Blumenthal
Arizona State Song: Anthem - Feb 28, 1919
Arkansas "Arkansas"
by Mrs. Eva Ware Barnett
Arkansas State Anthem - Feb 9, 1917
Arkansas "Arkansas (You Run Deep in Me)"
Written by Wayland Holyfield
Arkansas State Song - 1987
Arkansas "Oh, Arkansas"
Written by Terry Rose, Gary Klaff
Arkansas State Song - 1987
Arkansas "The Arkansas Traveler"
Lyrics by the Arkansas State Song Selection Committee
Music by Colonel Sanford (Sandy) Faulkner
Arkansas Historical State Song - 1987
Arkansas "Arkansas Waltz" "
Music by Bill Urfer, Words by Bill Urfer and Cletus Jones
Arkansas State Waltz - 1987
California "I Love You California"
Lyrics by F.B. Silverwood and
Music by A.F. Frankenstein
Published 1913
California State Song - Apr 26, 1951
Colorado "Where the Columbines Grow"
Written by Arthur J. Fynn
Music by Arthur J. Fynn
Colorado State Song - May 8, 1915
Colorado "Rocky Mountain High"
Written by John Denver
Music by Mike Taylor
Colorado State Song - Mar 12, 2007
Connecticut "Yankee Doodle"
Written by Francis Hopkinson
Composed by Francis Hopkinson
Connecticut State Song - Oct 8, 1978
Connecticut "Nutmeg"
Written by Stanley L. Ralph
Connecticut State Cantata - Jun 3, 2003
Connecticut "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz"
Written by Stanley L. Ralph
Connecticut State Song - Jun 25, 2013
Connecticut "The Ballroom Polka"
Composed by Ray Henry Mocarski
Connecticut State Polka - Jun 25, 2013
Delaware "Our Delaware"
Written by George B. Hynson
Composed by M. S. Brown
Delaware State Song - Apr 7,  1925
Florida "Florida, My Florida"
Written by Rev Dr. C. V. Waugh
Florida "Retired" State Song - 1913 to May 25, 1935
Florida "Old Folks at Home"
Written by Stephen C. Foster
(Revised lyrics)
Florida State Song - May 25, 1935; Rev. 2008
Florida "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky"
Words & Lyrics by Jan Hinton
Florida State Anthem - 2008
Georgia "Georgia on My Mind"
Written by Stuart Gorrell
Composed by Hoagy Carmichael
Georgia State Song - Apr 24,
1979
Georgia "Our Georgia"
Written by James Burch of Thomasville
Georgia State Waltz - 1951
Hawaii "Hawai'i Pono'i"
Written by King David Kalakaua
Music by Prof. Henry Berger, the Royal Bandmaster
Hawaii State Song - 1967
Idaho "Here We Have Idaho"
Music by Sallie Hume Douglas,
Verses by Albert J.Tompkins,
Chorus by McKinley Helm
Idaho State Song - Mar 11, 1931
Illinois "Illinois"
Written by C.H. Chamberlain
Composed by Archibald Johnston
Illinois State Song - 1925
Indiana "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away"
Written by Paul Dresser
Composed by Paul Dresser
Indiana State Song - 1913
Iowa "Song of Iowa"
Written by S.H.M. Byers
To the music of Tannenbaum
Iowa State Song - Jun 30, 1949
Iowa "Iowa Corn Song"
Lyrics by Ray W. Lockard & George Hamilton
Original Music by Edward Riley
Iowa Unofficial State Song - Unofficial
Kansas "Home on the Range"
Written by Brewster Higley
Composed by Daniel Kelley
Kansas State Song - Jun 30, 1947
Kansas "The Kansas March"
Composed by Duff E. Middleton
Kansas State March - 1935
Kansas "Here's Kansas"
Composed by Bill Post
Kansas State March - 1992
Kentucky "My Old Kentucky Home"
Words by Stephen C. Foster
Music by Stephen C. Foster
Kentucky State Song - 1986
Kentucky "Blue Moon of Kentucky"
Words by William Smith "Bill" Monroe
Music by William Smith "Bill" Monroe
Kentucky Bluegrass State Song - 1989
Louisiana "Louisiana My Home Sweet Home"
Lyrics by Sammie McKenzie and Lou Levoy
Music by Castro Caraz
Louisiana March State Song - 1952
Louisiana "Give Me Louisiana"
Written by Doralice Fontane
Composed by Dr. John Croom
Louisiana State Song - Jul 9, 1970; 1977
Louisiana "You Are My Sunshine"
Words and Music by
Jimmy Davis and Charles Mitchell
Louisiana State Song - 1977
Louisiana "Gifts of the Earth"
by Frances LeBeau of East Carroll Parish
Louisiana Environmental State Song - 1990
Louisiana "Come Back to Louisiana,"
Words and Music by Jay Chevalier and Bobby Attwood "
Louisiana Song for the Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita recovery effort - 2006
Maine "State of Maine Song"
Written by Roger Vinton Snow
Composed by Roger Vinton Snow
Maine State Song - 1937
Maryland "Maryland, My Maryland"
Written by James Ryder Randall
Maryland State Song - 1939
Massachusetts "All Hail to Massachusetts"
Written by Arthur J. Marsh
Massachusetts State Song - 1966; Jul - 1981
Massachusetts "Massachusetts"
Words and music by Arlo Guthrie
Massachusetts State Folk Song - 1981
Massachusetts "The Road to Boston"
Written by unknown
Composed by unknown
Massachusetts Ceremonial March - 1985
Massachusetts "Massachusetts (Because of You Our Land is Free)"
Words and music by Bernard Davidson
Massachusetts State Patriot Song - Jan 21, 1990
Massachusetts "The Great State of Massachusetts"
Words by George A. Wells
Music by J. Earl Bley
Massachusetts State Glee Club Song - Nov 24, 1997
Massachusetts "Say Hello to Someone in Massachusetts"
Words and music by Lenny Gomulka
Massachusetts State Polka - Oct 1, 1998
Massachusetts "Ode to the Commonwealth"
Words and Music by Joseph Falzone
Massachusetts Ode of the Commonwealth - Nov 16, 2000
Michigan "My Michigan"
Words by Giles Kavanagh
Music by H. O'Reilly Clint.
Michigan State Song - May 21, 1937
Minnesota "Hail! Minnesota"
Music and first verse by Truman E. Rickard
Second verse by Arthur E. Upson
Minnesota State Song - 1945
Mississippi "Go, Mississippi"
Words and Music by Houston Davis
Mississippi State Song - May 17, 1962
Missouri "The Missouri Waltz"
Written by James Royce Shannon
Music by John Valentine Eppel as arranged by Frederick Knight Logan
Missouri State Song - Jun 30, 1949
Montana "Montana"
Written by Charles C. Cohan
Composed by Joseph E. Howard
Montana State SongFeb 20, 1945.
Montana "Montana Melody"
Written by LeGrande and Carleen Harvey
Composed by LeGrande Harvey
Montana State Ballad - 1983
Montana "Montana Lullaby"
Written & Music by
Ken Overcast  & Wylie Gustafson
Montana State Lullaby - 2007
Nebraska "Beautiful Nebraska"
Words by Jim Fras and Guy G. Miller,
Music by Jim Fras
Nebraska State Song - Jun 21, 1967
Nebraska "A Place Like Nebraska"
Words and Music by Sol Kutler
Nebraska State Ballad - Oct 9, 1997
Nevada "Home Means Nevada"
Written by Mrs. Bertha Raffetto
Nevada State Song - Feb 6, 1933
Nevada "Silver State Fanfare"
Composed by Gerald Willis
Nevada State March - May 29, 2001
New Hampshire "Old New Hampshire"
Words by Dr. John F. Holmes
Music by Maurice Hoffmann
New Hampshire State Song - 1949
New Jersey "I'm From New Jersey"
Written & Music by Red Mascara
New Jersey Unofficial State Song - Unofficial
New Mexico "O', Fair New Mexico"
Words and Music by Elizabeth Garrett
New Mexico State Song - Mar 14, 1917
New Mexico "Asi es Nuevo Mejico"
Words and music by Amadeo Lucero
New Mexico Spanish Language State Song - 1971
New Mexico "Land of Enchantment - New Mexico"
Words and music by Martin Murphy, Chick Raines and Don Cook
New Mexico State Ballad - 1989
New Mexico "New Mexico - Mi Lindo Nuevo Mexico"
Written by Pablo Mares
New Mexico State Bilingual Song - 1995
New Mexico "Under the New Mexico Skies"
Composed by Syd Masters
New Mexico State Cowboy Song - Mar 25, 2009
New York "I Love New York"
Written by Steve Karmen
Composed by Steve Karmen
New York Unofficial State Song - Unofficial
North Carolina "The Old North State"
Written by William Gaston
Composed by Mrs. E. E. Randolph
North Carolina State Song - 1947
North Dakota "North Dakota Hymn"
Written by James W. Foley
Composed by Dr. C. S. Putnam
North Dakota State Song - Mar 15, 1947
Ohio "Beautiful Ohio"
Written by Ballard MacDonald
Special lyrics by Wilbert B. McBride
Composed by Mary Earl
Ohio State Song - Oct 14, 1969
Ohio "Hang on Sloopy"
Written by Celina-born guitarist Rick Derringer, and
First recorded by The McCoys
Ohio State Rock Song - 1985
Oklahoma "Oklahoma!"
Written by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Oklahoma State Song and Anthem - 1953
Oklahoma "Faded Love"
by John Willis and Bob Wills
Oklahoma State Country & Western Song - Feb 3, 1988
Oklahoma "Oklahoma, My Native Land"
Written by Martha Kemm Barrett
Composed by Martha Kemm Barrett
Oklahoma State Children's Song - Mar 27, 1996
Oklahoma "Oklahoma Wind"
Written by Dr. Dale J. Smith
Oklahoma State Waltz - 1982
Oklahoma "The Oklahoma Run"
Written by Harold Fletcher
Oklahoma State Land Run Song - Feb 3, 1988
Oklahoma "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
Composed and written by Wallis Willis
Oklahoma State Gospel Song - Apr 25, 2011
Oklahoma "Do You Realize?? "
By the Flaming Lips
Oklahoma Former State Rock Song - 2009 to Apr 2013
Oklahoma "Oklahoma Hills "
Composed and Written by
Woody Guthrie and Jack Guthrie
Oklahoma State Folk Song - Apr 10, 2001
Oregon "Oregon, My Oregon"
Words by J.A. Buchanan
Music by Henry B. Murtagh
Oregon State Song - 1927
Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania"
Written and Composed by
Eddie Khoury and Ronnie Bonner
Pennsylvania State Song - Nov 29, 1990
Rhode Island "Rhode Island"
Words and music by T. Clark Brown
Rhode Island State March - 1946
Rhode Island "Rhode Island's It for Me"
Lyrics by Charlie Hall
Music by Maria Day
Arranged by Kathryn Chester
Rhode Island State Song - Jul 29, 1996
South Carolina "Carolina"
Words by Henry Timrod
Music by Anne Custis Burgess
Edited by G. R. Goodwin
South Carolina State Song - Feb 11, 1911
South Carolina "South Carolina on My Mind"
Written by Hank Martin and Buzz Arledge
South Carolina State Song - 1984
South Carolina "Richardson Waltz"
Music by descendents of
General Richard Richardson (1704-1780)
arranged by Mary S. Richardson Briggs in 1985
South Carolina State Waltz - Jul 21, 2000
South Dakota "Hail, South Dakota"
Words and Music by Deecort Hammitt
South Dakota State Song - 1943
Tennessee "My Homeland, Tennessee"
Written by Nell Grayson Taylor
Music by Roy Lamont Smith
Tennessee State Song - 1925
Tennessee "When It's Iris Time In Tennessee "
Written by Willa Waid Newman
Tennessee State Song - 1935
Tennessee "My Tennessee"
Written by Frances Hannah Tranum
Tennessee Public School State Song - 1955
Tennessee "Tennessee Waltz"
Written by Redd Stewart
Composed by Pee Wee King
Tennessee State Song - 1965
Tennessee "The Tennessee Salute"
Words by Richard M. "Pek" Gunn
Tennessee State US Bicentennial March - 1975
Tennessee "Fly Eagle, Fly!"
Words by James Rogers
Tennessee State US Bicentennial State Song -1976
Tennessee "Rocky Top"
Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant
Tennessee State Song - 1982
Tennessee "Tennessee"
Written by Vivian Rorie
Tennessee Song of the 97th General Assembly -1992
Tennessee "The Pride of Tennessee"
Written by Fred Congdon, Thomas Vaughn and Carol Elliot
Tennessee State Song - 1996
Tennessee "A Tennessee Bicentennial Rap: 1796-1996"
Written by Joan Hill Hanks
Tennessee State Bicentennial Rap Song - 1996
Tennessee "My Home Will Always Be in Tennessee!"
Written by Shirley McRae, Terre Campbella-McCormick and Margaret Campbelle duGard
Tennessee State Bicentennial School Song - 1996
Texas "Texas, Our Texas"
Written by William J. Marsh and Gladys Yoakum Wright
Composed by William J. Marsh
Texas State Song - 1929
Texas "Bluebonnets"
Words by Julia D. Booth and Lora C. Crockett
Texas State Flower Song - Mar 21, 1933
Utah "Utah, This is the Place"
Words by Sam Francis, Gary Francis
Music by Gary Francis
Utah State Song - Mar 15, 2003
Utah "Utah We Love Thee""
Words by Evan Stephen
Music by Evan Stephen
Utah State Hymn - Feb 17, 1937; Song to Hymn May 5, 2003
Vermont "Hail, Vermont!"
Words by Josephine H. Perry
Music by Josephine H. Perry
Vermont Retired State Song - May 12, 1938 to
May 22, 2000
Vermont "These Green Mountains"
Composed by Diane Martin
Arranged by Rita Buglass
Vermont State Song - May 22,
2000
Virginia "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia"
Written by James Bland
Virginia State Song Emeritus - 1940; Mar 20, 1997
Washington "Washington, My Home"
Written by Helen Davis
Arranged by Stuart Churchill
Washington State Song - 1959
Washington "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On"
Written by Woody Guthrie
Washington State Folk Song - 1987
West Virginia "The West Virginia Hills"
Words by Mrs. Ellen King
Music by H. E. Engle
West Virginia State Song - 1961; Feb 28, 1963
West Virginia "West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home"
by Julian G. Hearne, Jr.
West Virginia State Song - 1947; Feb 28, 1963
West Virginia "This is My West Virginia"
by Iris Bell
West Virginia State Song - 1962; Feb 28, 1963
West Virginia "Take Me Home Country Roads"
by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Canoff
West Virginia State Song - 2014
Wisconsin "On, Wisconsin!"
Written by J. S. Hubbard and Charles D. Rosa
Composed by William T. Purdy
Wisconsin State Song - 1959
Wisconsin "Oh Wisconsin, Land of My Dreams"
Music written by Shari A. Sarazin
Lyrics written by Erma Barrett
Wisconsin State Ballad - Aug 31, 2001
Wisconsin "The Wisconsin Waltz"
Music and Lyrics written by Eddie Hansen
Wisconsin State Waltz - Aug 31, 2001
Wyoming "Wyoming"
Written by C.E. Winter
Composed by G.E. Knapp
Wyoming State Song - Feb 15, 1955
State Songs
US State Songs
Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state legislature as a symbol of the state.